
Why go to graduate school?
- It is an exciting and rewarding experience to advance your field
- Potential job potential:
- More career opportunities
- Salary is commensurate with education/experience (BUT not guaranteed)
- Networking opportunities
- However:
- Work can be challenging and stressful
- Time commitment: 2-7 years (postdoc another 3-6 years)
- Different people have different graduate experiences

Masters degree versus Ph.D.
- Schools may offer M.S., Ph.D. or both
- coursework, research only or both
- What type of job do you want?
- Think about your timeline:
- some programs can role a MS to a Ph.D.
- Masters programs are typically less competitive
- Good option if you:
- Are trying to decide if research is right for you
- Need to establish a stronger application for PhD
- Don’t want to commit to 5-7 years

To thesis or not to thesis?
- Some Masters programs require an original research project and written thesis
- Thesis: essentially an expanded primary scientific paper
- Many jobs will favor (or require) research experience
- A non-thesis Masters program typically requires less time and is not dependent on successful research results
- specific for certain fields
- teaching, career advancement
- additional prep for Vet, Med school

Graduate school application requirements
- Applications typically open in the fall (Sept. 1) with December deadlines
- often new grants create positions at other times
- Application form: CV, personal details, academic transcripts, test results, and names of references.
- Academic transcripts: Official versus unofficial.
- Application fees: ~50-85$
- Personal statement: Critical piece of writing that reflects on your reasons for wanting to study at the chosen program.
- Blend of your relevant personal and professional experience
- Indication of how you hope to benefit from the program of study.
- Letters of recommendation: 2-3 people who you have a good relationship with who can speak positively to your abilities as a student and researcher.
- Some application (Ph.D.) may require a writing sample
Not so secret tip….
- Research experience: the single most important thing you can do to improve your application aside from grades.
- Research with a faculty member demonstrates sustained interest in science, forms personal relationships for letters of recommendation, and develops your research skills and experiences

The graduate record exam (GRE)
- Used to be required for admission, but many science graduate schools are moving away from it.
- slow change, check your schools of interest
- not needed internationally
- Three part exam that measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills
- There are also subject tests (generally not required)
- biology, chemistry, physics

Undergraduate course choice
- The Shepherd biology curriculum is designed to meet requirements for entrance into graduate / professional school
- The more rigorous the undergraduate program, the better
- Biomedical sciences: calculus, organic chemistry, cell, genetics, developmental biology, biochemistry
- Ecological sciences: field courses (herpetology, ornithology, plants and humanity, etc.), statistics
- Some graduate schools require specific undergraduate courses
- Visit the web pages of schools you are interested in and check for specific requirements

Picking a program: Academic considerations
- Select schools with active research programs
- Look up faculty member publications on Google scholar—are they publishing regularly?
- Look at faculty webpage for student histories
- Larger programs typically have more advanced equipment and more research and funding options
- Bigger does not always mean better!!!!!
- Experts in a particular field can be at any university
- University may have more than one program appropriate to your interests:
- Different departments = separate graduate programs
- Biomedical sciences often grouped together into umbrella programs: you indicate your particular interest (these are often tied to medical schools)
Picking a program: Academic considerations
- Scientific interest—are there faculty there doing research you are interested in?
- join a list serve or search them weekly (in your field)
- Will another degree help you obtain your career goals?
- a bachelor degree is not longer “special”
- Wills a advanced degree guarantee more money in your field?
- great salary vs fewer advanced opportunities
- Are you willing to re-locate?
- Grad programs/mentors are unique and often require moving
- Can you succeed with a family?
- Do you have the time? Grad school always results in a delay of ‘normal’ pay

Finding a faculty mentor
- Divide between biomedical and ecological sciences graduate programs:
- Biomedical: typically apply to a departmental or umbrella program before speaking to any faculty members
- Ecology: you must email potential mentors ahead of time to discuss the possibility of working with them.
- You can always email the director of the graduate program to ask how best to approach this
- Be specific in your application about your scientific interests
- do they align with the mentor’s?
- In Ph.D. programs, you may do short rotations through different labs to find the right fit for your interests and goals

Debunking Grad School Myths: Funding
- Typically, tuition in biology graduate programs is waived
- You often receive a small stipend from the university
- This assistance typically comes from:
- Teaching assistantships (labs)
- Research Assistantships: Supported by mentor grant
- Fellowships or Training Grants (NIH/NSF)
- Outside funding sources:
- Pre-doctoral fellowship (NSF/NIH)
- Private foundation fellowships
- Broadly, you should NOT pay to go to grad school
- exception: non-thesis masters

Finding schools and programs
- Simply search websites of universities in a geographic area
- Talk to professors—there are often field-specific considerations
- Some schools specialize in particular research areas
- network!!!
- There are internet databases organized by discipline:
- Be Resourceful, these programs rarely recruit
- Start a science twitter and follow your field

The interview visit
- Top applicants will typically be invited for a 1-2 day interview
- may or may not be final selections
- Here, you will talk with professors and graduate students to find out about:
- Student expectations
- Financial support
- Research space and equipment
- Setting and local area
- Social life
- Course work required for degree
- Preliminary or qualifying examinations – When? How?
- Inter-relationships (within and between labs)
- This style of interview is usually pretty fun!

Dr. C’s final thoughts
